Vertically adjustable and fluidly refrigerated shelf



April 20, 1965 L. F. BARROERO 3,178,832

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND FLUIDLY REFRIGERATED SHELF Filed Dec. 6, 19624 Sheets-Sheet 3 I I /z 5 23 /6 I, A 1 w v L/ I I k l u 2:: :j 3 L4 5 aH 2 I L K a u) I L, Z5Z-2 Z/ 23' j L1; 400/: 5 5/22/2452 BY 1 if 5 M WApril 20, 1965 L. F. BARROERO 3,178,832

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE AND FLUIDLY REFRIGERATED SHELF Filed Dec. 6, 19624 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VENTOR; lay/5 A 542 9052 United States Patent Office3,178,832 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3 178 832 vnRrroALLY Anrrrsrhntn ANDFLUIDLY RErnroEaArEn snare Louis F. Barroero, 1585 Daniels Drive,

San Leandro, Calif. Filed Dec. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 242,804 9 Claims. (Cl.34-237) This invention relates to refrigerating shelf structures such asthose shown and described in United States Patent No. 2,962,875. Moreparticularly this invention involves an apparatus for adjustablymounting such a shelf structure from vertical air ducts or rearsupporting panels.

Briefly, the invention herein described provides an apparatus includingmeans for adjustably supporting the hollow and air-refrigerated shelfrelative to an air duct in one of several vertical positions, whileretaining said shelf in fiuid communication with the air ducts. Althoughit is realized that shelf structures generally have been provided withmeans for positioning them in one of several vertical positions, aunique problem presents itself in producing a suitable support thatpermits vertical adjustment of the shelf and simultaneously retainssealed, fluid communication between the supported shelf and an air duct.More especially, the apparatus now contemplated comprises an air ducthaving a vertical opening, a hollow shelf formed with a vertical openingin a peripheral edge thereof which may be fluidly communicated with theair duct opening, means for adjustably supporting the shelf relative tothe air duct in more than one vertical position while retaining the airshelf in fluid communication with the air duct opening, and means forsealing the air duct opening circumferentially of said shelf openingwhile the shelf is supported at various positions of verticaladjustment.

This invention especially contemplates a sealing means between the airduct and the shelf comprising a vertical seal plate mounted on or formedintegrally with the shelf, said plate having vertical surface portionsextending, respectively, above and below the shelf opening. A continuoussealing gasket is secured to the air duct and circumscribing the airduct opening. It will be seen that the means provided for adjustablysupporting the air shelf will position the vertical seal plate intoabutting contact with the sealing gasket for each vertical position intowhich the shelf may be positioned.

This invention further provides an extremely simple supporting meansthat allows each shelf structure to be independently hung, adjusted oreven removed from its mounting. For this purpose each support shelf isprovided with a vertical plate having a substantially vertical slot thatmay be engaged with a mounting pin secured to a support member. Thevertical plate is also equipped with a support pin which is mateablewith a catch opening formed in the same support member.

It is to be particularly noted that the vertical slot of the shelf plateincludes a vertically inclined portion extending from an opening in thelower edge of said plate and directed generally forward and rearwardrelative to said shelf. This configuration of slots permits the shelf tobe mounted with the utmost ease by holding the shelf with its front edgeslightly depending and moving the peripheral edge of the shelfrearwardly into contact with the air duct, thereby effectingsimultaneous fluid communication between the interior of the shelf andthe air duct.

In view of the above brief description of the invention, it will beapparent that the primary object of this invention is to provideapparatus including a hollow support shelf and means for adjustablysupporting the shelf in one of several vertical positions whileretaining the shelf in fluid communication with an air duct.

Another object is to provide supporting apparatus for a hollow shelfstructure including means to permit the shelf to be vertically adjustedwithout the aid of tools or equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting apparatus fora hollow shelf structure that may be simultaneously placed into fluidcommunication with an air duct or retained in communication with such anair duct while the vertical position of the shelf is adjusted.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent in view of thedrawings and the following detailed description.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this application and inwhich like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughoutthe same,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a hollow refrigerating shelf structuremounted upon a pair of air ducts in a' preferred manner as contemplatedby this invention and including a support means for adjustablysupporting the shelf relative to the air ducts.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a substantially horizontal section taken on line 66 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a substantially horizontal section taken on line 77 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged detail view and section taken on line 8-43 of FIG.2; and

FIG. 9 is a detail view and section taken on line 99 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1 in particular, there is illustrated a pair of spacedair ducts 1t) and 11 from which is supported a hollow refrigerated shelf12, constructed generally in accordance with the teachings of UnitedStates l 'atent No. 2,962,875. In this respect, the shelf 12 ispartitioned into upper and lower compartments by a centrally disposedimperforate member 15, said shelf further including an upper perforatedplate member 16, and lower perforated plate member 17. The centrallydisposed imperforate member 15 is formed with an integral depressed ramp15a and a raised inclined ramp 15b, each ramp being contoured anddefining a passage-way connecting one of the interior air compartmentsof the shelf with openings 18 and 19, respectively, formed in theperipheral edge of said shelf, as shown in FIGS. 3 and In addition toplate members 15, 16, 17 the shelf 12 comprises a continuous frameworkof die-cast parts which define the peripheral edge of the shelf. Thisframework is generally rectangular and comprise a front edge member 20,symmetrical side edge members 21 and 22, a rear edge member 23 andsymmetrically formed corner edge pieces 24 and 25. Each of the edgemembers and parts 243-25 are formed with tongie and groove portionsallowing them to be rapidly assembled into the continuous framework. Inaddition, and most importantly, these members and parts, when assembled,provide continuous grooves for receiving the edges of partition member15 and the plate members 16 and 17.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in particular, it will be evident that theperipheral openings 18 and 19 of air shelf 12 are defined by the cornerplate members 24 and 25, respectively.

Plate members 24 and 25 are held into abutting engagement with gasketsor seal rings 26 mounted to the air ducts, and each plate memberincludes upper and lower flange portions 24a, 24b and 25a, 25b,respectively. The flange portions provide relatively flat or planarsurfaces that may be placed into abutting contact with the sealinggaskets 26 for various" vertical positions into which the shelfstructure may be supported. For example, while the shelf structure shownin FIGS. 3 and 4 is positioned such that the plates 24 and 25 engagetheir seal rings 26' while openings 18 and 19 are proximate'the loweredge of V 5 each gasket, it is possible to raise shelf. 12 toaipo'sition' where the openings 18 and 19 are more nearly proximate i tothe upper edge of the 'seal' rings 2 6. in each of these positions fluidcommunication is pr-ovidedlbetween the compartments 13 and 14and the air"ducts. 1i and 11, respectively. It will'be noted that openings lttand19 are comprises a vertical plate providedon said shelf, saidplatehavingvertical surface portions, respectively, above 1 andbelow'said shelf'opening, and a continuous sealing substantially'smallerin the vertical dirriensionthan the openings defined by the gaskets 26to permit this operation. a Each side of shelf 12 is supported upon abifurcated mounting strip 27 that forms a part and extends verticallyalong the front side of air ducts 10' and 11. Referring to FIGS. 2 and6-8, the mounting stri-pls 27 comprisea pair of flange strips each ofwhich serves as a support member for the sides of laterally adjacentshelves. Each sup port member is formed with vertically aligned andspaced" openings 28, '29. and 30, and a mounting pin 31 is securedthereto in' vertically spaced relationship. I

Side edge members 21 and '22 of shelf 12 are each integrally formedwith'a' vertical .plate 32 extending above and below the plate members16 and 17. Plates 32 are of a yoke shaped'cross-section, as shown inFIGS. 6-8, and straddle one of the support member of bifurcated strip 27Plates 32 are further formed with substantially vertical slots33 thatmay be engaged'with the mounting pin 31, and plate openings 34 areprovided for alignment with one of the vertically aligned and spaceopenings 28- 30. A spring-pressed'pin 35 is' retractably mounted in theopenings 34 of plate 32 and a spring membe 35'normally urges pin 35 intoa locking position, shown in figure eight.

Referring to FIG. 2, slot 33 extends from the lower edge of plate 32 andincludes a vertically inclined portion leading to the lower edge of saidplate and directed gengasket secured tosaid air duct circumscribing theair duct opening, surfaces ofv said vertical" plate being placed intoabutting contact with saidsealing gasket for each vertical position intowhich-s aid shelf may be supported.

3; The apparatus of claim ;1 wherein said supporting means comprises asupport member having vertically aligned and spaced openings and amounting pin secured tov said membjer in vertically spaced relationshipto said openings, ajvertical' plate provided on said shelf, said platehaving a substantially vertical slot adapted to be engaged with saidmounting pin and a plate opening that may be aligned with one a of thevertically aligned and spaced openings ofsaidsupport membentheengagement of said mounting pin and slot permitting vertical adjustmentof said shelf to align said plate openingfwith' another of saidvertically,.aligned and spaced openings of saidsupport member, and 'asupport pin insertable'through aligned openingsof said support memberand plate;

4. Th'ejapparatus of claim 3 and further wherein the slot of. saidvertical plate includes a; vertically-inclined portion-extending from anopening in the lower edge of said-plate and directed generally forwardand upward-relative to said shelf, permitting the mounting pin to beenerally forward and upward relative to the self. This configuration ofslot 33 permitssaid slot to beengaged with the mounting pin 31 byholding the shelf with its front edge slightly depending and moving theshelf downwardl' and against the air ducts 10 and 11. It will be notedthat this construction permits mating alignment and engag ment betweenthe slots 33 and pins 31 without as yet placing a. substantial surfacearea of seal plates against the sealing gaskets 26. Thus, once slots33 have initially been mated with their respective pins 31 the shelf canbe moved vertically as a whole to a position of adjustment where theopening 34 and pin will comeinto alignment with one of the openings 28,29 or 30. Such an alignment is. preferably made by initially lifting theshelf as a whole while in an inclined position, and then pivoting theshelf by lifting its front edgeuntil the top plate 16 is disposed in ahorizontal plane. While so positioning the shelf in the horizontal, thesealing surface of seal plate 25 is placed into compressive contact withthe sealing gasket 26. I

It is to be understood that the particular embodiment of the inventionas'shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example ofthe same.Furthermore, various changes may be resorted to Without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the attached claims 7 (-1))a hollow shelf structure having a vertical opening formed in aperipheral edge thereof, said shelf opening fluidlycommunicatingwithsaid air duct opening,

and having a smaller vertical dimension than the 7 opening of said airduct; 7 r (0) means for adjustably supporting said shelf relative tosaid air duct in more than one vertical position gaged with the slot byholding said shelf with its front edge slightly depending and movingsaidperipheral edge toward said air duct. I V

5. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a second air 'ducthaving an opening, said shelf structure including means defining upperand lower air'compartmentsseparated by an imperforate member and having.the first-named shelf openingand a second vertical shelf opening formedin said peripheral edge, each opening fluidly communicating withrespective air duct openings and respective upper and lower aircompartments, said second shelf openinghaving a smaller. verticaldimension than the opening of said second air duct; and means forsealing the second duct opening while said shelf is supported inpositions of vertical adjustment.

6. Apparatus of the kind'described, comprising:

(a) first and second air ducts, each air duct having a vertical opening;I V r (b) ahollow shelf structure including means defining upper and.lower air compartments separated by an imperforate member and having; afirst and Ya second vertical'opening formedin a peripheral edge thereof,said first and second openings fluidly com mu'nicating with respectivefirst and second air duct openings and having smaller verticaldimensions than the opening of said air duct with which it communicates;

(0) means for adjustably supporting said shelf relative to said airducts in more than one vertical position while retaining said :shelfopenings in fluid communication with respective air duct openings,said'supporting means comprising a pair. of support members respectivelysecured to said first and second air ducts, each support member havingvertically. aligned and spaced openings and a mounting pindisposed invertically spaced relationship to said openings, a pair of verticalplates provided on said shelf and disposed in complemental relationshipto said support members, respectively, each plate having a substantiallyvertical slot adapted to be'engaged' with the mounting pin of respectivesupport members and an opening that may be aligned with one of thevertically aligned and spaced openings of the respective supportmembers, whereby the engagement of said mounting pins and said slotspermits vertical adjustment of said shelf to align said plate openingswith another of said vertically aligned and spaced openings ofrespective support members, and a pair of support pins insertablethrough respectively aligned openings of said support members andplates.

7. A shelf structure of the kind described, comprising:

(a) a continuous framework formed with three continuous grooves, twogrooves being spaced apart the approximate thickness of said shelf andthe third groove being intermediate said two;

(1)) a first relatively planar plate member having a continuous edgedisposed within and received by one of said two grooves;

(c) a second relatively planar plate member having a continuous edgedisposed within and received by the other of said two grooves; and

(d) a third plate member having a continuous edge disposed within andreceived by said third groove.

8. The shelf structure of claim 7 wherein said framework includes twocorner edge pieces, each edge piece having a lateral openingintermediate one of said two grooves and said third groove, the openingsof said corner edge pieces being intermediate different grooves of saidtwo grooves to provide duct leads of enlarged size and communicatingsaid openings with interior compartments above and below said thirdplate member.

9. The shelf structure of claim 7 wherein each of said two corner edgepieces provide a vertical plate having vertical surface portionsextending respectively above and below its lateral opening, saidsurfaces being adapted for placement into abutting contact with sealinggaskets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 267,288 11/82Walker 34-237 277,685 5/83 Crozier 34193 361,075 4/87 Owens 34-237 202,962,875 12/60 Barroero 62-25 6 3,009,333 11/61 Rainwater 62--256NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS OF THE KIND DESCRIBED, COMPRISING: (A) AN AIR DUCT HAVING AVERTICAL OPENING; (B) A HOLLOW SHELF STRUCTURE HAVING A VERTICAL OPENINGFORMED IN A PERIPHERAL EDGE THEREOF, SAID SHELF OPENING FLUIDLYCOMMUNICATING WITH SAID AIR DUCT OPENING AND HAVING A SMALLER VERTICALDIMENSION THAN THE OPENING OF SAID AIR DUCT;